English captain: Simon Bailey

Simon Bailey served in the Commonwealth navy. He commanded the hired ship Lisbon Merchant from 1652 until 1653. He fought in the Battle of the Kentish Knock in October 1652. The Lisbon Merchant carried 34 guns in 1652 and 38 guns in 1653. He may have fought in the Battle of Dungeness, although there is some uncertainty about that. The Lisbon Merchant definitely took part in the battle. Simon Bailey also fought in the Battle of Portland (the Three Days Battle). He sailed from Portsmouth on 30 March 1653 (old style) with William Penn's squadron. The Lisbon Merchant seems to have carried 4o guns and had a crew of 160 men at that date. At the Battle of the Gabbard, he was assigned to Lionel Lane's division in the White Squadron. He probably took part in the Battle of Scheveningen, in August 1653. Sadly, we have very few substantive information about Simon Bailey. We only know about what amounts to his resume. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, "English Fleet-Lists in the First Dutch War," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.XXIV No.4, October 1938
2. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964
3. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910